Portable electronic device

ABSTRACT

A portable electronic device includes a cover member, a keypad and a decorative member. The cover member defines a keypad mounting cavity. The keypad includes an annular protrusion protruding from a periphery thereof. The keypad is mounted in the keypad mounting cavity of the cover member. The decorative member includes a resisting board protruding from a peripheral wall thereof. The decorative member is sandwiched between the cover member and the keypad, with the resisting board resisting an interior surface of the cover member and the annular protrusion abutting against the resisting board, thus preventing impurities from entering into the portable electronic device via the keypad.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to portable electronic devices and,particularly, to a portable electronic device incorporating a detachablekeypad assembly.

2. Description of Related Art

With the ongoing development of technology, portable electronic devices(e.g., mobile phones or personal digital assistants, PDAs) have becomewidely used.

A typical portable electronic device includes a body member and a keypadassembly mounted to the body member. The keypad assembly is usuallyrequired to match the body member in color and pattern, to achieve anattractive appearance.

However, the decorative effect of the portable electronic device remainsunchanged and users cannot change the color or the pattern of the keypadassembly according to his/her interest. Furthermore, impurities e.g.,water and dust may enter into the portable electronic device via thekeypad assembly.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of a portable electronic device can be better understoodwith reference to the following drawings. These drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the present portable electronicdevice. Moreover, in the drawings like reference numerals designatecorresponding sections throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a portable electronic device,according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is another exploded, isometric view of the portable electronicdevice shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partially assembled view of the portable electronic deviceshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the portable electronic device shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is another assembled view of the portable electronic device shownin FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary portable electronic device 10. Theportable electronic device 10 includes a cover member 11, a keypad 121and a decorative member 122. The decorative member 122 is sandwichedbetween the keypad 121 and the cover member 11.

The cover member 11 includes a top wall 111, a bottom wall 112, anexterior surface 113 and an interior surface 114. The cover member 11defines a display mounting cavity 115 and a keypad mounting cavity 116.The display mounting cavity 115 is adjacent to the top wall 111. Thekeypad mounting cavity 116 is adjacent to the bottom wall 112. Aplurality of limiting blocks 117 and latching poles 118 protrude formthe interior surface 114 adjacent to the keypad mounting cavity 116.

The keypad 121 is configured to be received in the keypad mountingcavity 116 of the cover member 11. The keypad 121 includes a pluralityof buttons 1211. The keypad 121 includes an annular protrusion 1212protruding from a peripheral wall of the keypad 121. A plurality ofhollow fastening columns 1213 are defined on a periphery of the annularprotrusion 1212. The fastening columns 1213 are aligned with and engagedwith the latching poles 118.

The decorative member 122 is a frame. The decorative member 122 is madeof elastic material. Thus, the decorative member 122 can generate asubstantial elastic deformation under pressure. In this embodiment, thedecorative member 122 is made of rubber. The decorative member 122includes a peripheral wall 1221 and a through hole 1222 enclosed by theperipheral wall 1221. A resisting board 1223 protrudes from one side ofthe peripheral wall 1221. The resisting board 1223 has a plurality oflimiting cutouts 1224 defined on a peripheral edge corresponding to thelimiting blocks 117.

In assembly, the decorative member 122 is received in the keypadmounting cavity 116 from the interior surface 114 of the cover member11. The peripheral wall 1221 is tightly attached to the inner wall ofthe keypad mounting cavity 116. The resisting board 1223 abuts againstthe interior surface 114 of the cover member 11. The limiting blocks 117are inserted into the limiting cutouts 1224. Then the keypad 121 isinserted into the through hole 1222 of the decorative member 12 from theinterior surface 114 of the cover member 11. The buttons 1211 areexposed from the exterior surface 113 of the cover member 11 through thethrough hole 1222. The annular protrusion 1212 tightly abuts against theresisting board 1223. The latching poles 118 are aligned and engagedwith the fastening columns 1213. Therefore, the decorative member 122 isdeformed and tightly sandwiched between the interior surface 114 and thekeypad 121, thus efficiently preventing water or dust from entering intothe portable electronic device 10 via the keypad 121. Furthermore, thedecorative member 122 can be printed into different colors and patterns,thus an user can detach the keypad assembly 10 and change for anotherdecorative member 122 with different colors and patterns according tohis/her interest.

It is to be understood, however, that even through numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape,size, and arrangement of sections within the principles of the inventionto the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms,in which the appended claims are expressed.

1. A portable electronic device, comprising: a cover member, the covermember defining a keypad mounting cavity; a keypad including an annularprotrusion protruding from a periphery thereof, the keypad being mountedin the keypad mounting cavity; and a decorative member including aresisting board protruding from a peripheral wall thereof, thedecorative member being sandwiched between the cover member and thekeypad, with the resisting board resisting an interior surface of thecover member and the annular protrusion abutting against the resistingboard, thus preventing impurities from entering into the portableelectronic device via the keypad.
 2. The portable electronic device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the decorative member is a frame made ofelastic material.
 3. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim2, wherein the decorative member is made of rubber.
 4. The portableelectronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decorative memberincludes a through hole enclosed by the peripheral wall, the throughhole is configured to receive the keypad therein.
 5. The portableelectronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover memberincludes a plurality of limiting blocks protruding therefrom, theresisting board defines a plurality of limiting cutouts, the limitingblocks respectively latch into the limiting cutouts.
 6. The portableelectronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular protrusionincludes a plurality of hollow fastening columns protruding from aperiphery thereof, the cover member includes latching poles definedcorresponding to the hollow fastening columns, the latching poles arealigned and engaged with the fastening columns.
 7. The portableelectronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the keypad includes aplurality of buttons.
 8. A portable electronic device, comprising: acover member; a keypad mounted to the cover member; and a decorativemember mounted to the cover member, the decorative including a resistingboard protruding from a peripheral wall thereof, the decorative memberbeing sandwiched between the cover member and the keypad, with theresisting board resisting an interior surface of the cover member and aperiphery of the keypad resisting against the resisting board, thuspreventing impurities from entering into the portable electronic devicevia the keypad.
 9. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 8,wherein the cover member defines a keypad mounting cavity, the keypadand the decorative member are mounted in the keypad mounting cavity. 10.The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the keypadincludes an annular protrusion protruding from a periphery thereof, theannular protrusion configured for resisting against the resisting board.11. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein thedecorative member is a frame made of elastic material.
 12. The portableelectronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the decorative memberincludes a through hole enclosed by the peripheral wall, the throughhole is configured to receive the keypad.
 13. The portable electronicdevice as claimed in claim 8, wherein the annular protrusion includes aplurality of hollow fastening columns protruding from a peripherythereof, the cover member includes latching poles defined correspondingto the hollow fastening columns, the latching poles are aligned andengaged with the fastening columns.
 14. The portable electronic deviceas claimed in claim 8, wherein the cover member includes a plurality oflimiting blocks protruding therefrom, the resisting board defines aplurality of limiting cutouts, the limiting blocks respectively latchinto the limiting cutouts.
 15. The portable electronic device as claimedin claim 11, wherein the decorative member is made of rubber.